Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-07-09
THEY WILL NOT YIELD
DIsCEAtGYD FIRgMEN RELYIsa or
THE CITY ATTORNEYS OPIsroS.
Fire Committee, Eowever, Insist that
They are Right-Trial Of
Another Man.

A meeting Of the City Council Com
mittee on Fire Department was held
last night. Present Messrs kaufman
(chairman), Crump, Lange, Page, Par
rish, and Murphy, and Chief Fuqua, OF
the department.
The first subject considered was in
relation to the firemen recently dis
charged by the committee-Messrs.
Blunt, Myer, Gayle, and Gilman. A
communication signed by all of them,
which had been received, was read to
the committee by the clerk. In it they
gave notice to the committee that they
held themselves in readiness to per-
fclm their duties as firemen, and de-
] ed and proposed to contest the right
of the committee to discharge them.
THE CITY AIToRyEY's ADVICE.
It will ke recalled that when these
men were dismissed City ittorney
Ne edith. who was present at the time
as The legal adviser OF the committee,
gave it as his opinion that the ordi-
narce giving the committee the right
to discharge members of the depart
ment is invalid because unconstitu-
tional.
LAST NIGHT.
After considerable discussion reso-
luton WIS adopted declaring that it is
the sense of the committee that it acted
under the charter of the city and the
city ordinance, and in accordance with
the precedents established 10y former
committees, ard that it is bound to act
in accordance with the terms Of the or
dinance until it is declared uncons.itu-
tional.
CHARGES.
The next matter taken up was the
case of Mr. ". L. Moore, driver of the
hOse-carriage of Steamer No. 3.
The charge against him was that on
the 9Th instant, when the alarm was
turned in from Box 3 3about 80 O'Clock
L. NJ. he corried his carriage to Box
"a. and that he was under the influence
Of liquor.
Mr.. Moore appeared before the com
mittce to answer the charge, and
number Of witnesses were examined.
Fireman Taylor said when the alarm
was turned in at the Broad Street en-
ne-house' Moore was asleep upstairs.
and as be was not in the house toattend
his horse he (TayIor) went up to
awaken him. Moore at once got up
and asked what box the alarm came
from. He told him to go to 81 that
the horses had kicked and created such
a fuss III the yard that they were I'M
able to catch the box. 1hree had been
heard to strike, but whether it was 3
or 81 or - he had besn unable to tell
and lie gave 81, which is in the bust
ness pat Of the city, the benefit of the
doubt Moore had been unwell
for several days, and the lauda-
nun Which he bad been takin4
doubtless had the effect OF producing
drowsi He did not think Moole
was drunk or had been drinking heavily.
Captain Dorset thought Moore was
drunk. lie had seen him Just after he
came back 20 the engine-house.
First-Enginecr Moun,clstle said that
Moore was one OF the finest firemen in
the city and an excellent hostler. He
thought that day that Moore WAS in
sort OF stupor, but not drunk
Chief Fuqua stated that Moore was
suspended on the 9Th because he WAS
asleep XLer-the- alarm came in, and
the charges were preferred against him
because he was either under the lnilu-
once Of liquoI or opiates. lie cOnsid-
cred Moore second to none as 4 fire
nan.
Mr.. Causcy had jumped on the hose
carriage when going down Ninth street,
and had ridden with Moore down to
Box q. Did not think for a moment
that Moore had been drinking. The
striking Of Mr. Clapp's buggy was Gu
tirely accidental. A coal cart was in
the way, and Moore in dodging that
had his carriage thrown into the street
car tracs, and in swinging around out
Of that MIR. Clapp's buggy was struck.
Mr.. Iredell Jenkins also testified
about the buggy being struck He saw
the occurrence, and he thought it was
accidental.
THE ACCUSED.
When hIr. Moore was put on the
stand he said that he had been uuwell
for several days, and that he had drank
some whiskey and laudanum as medi
cine, which made him stupid.
Captain Sheppard hoped the com
mittee would not dismiss Moore. He
was a good fireman.
Assistant Mountcastle also hoped
Moore would be retained.
The committee fined Mr.. Moore 500
and aGmonished him. He was at once
returned to duty.
FORD's THEATRE.
While Acknowledgment MOuntcaS-
tie was addressing tie committee he
said he desired to call its attention t.
the theatre which Mr.. Ford was erect
ing at the corner of Eighth and Broad
streets. The building, he said, had
only one front and two rear entrances,
and with no more outlets the building
might be dangerous in case Of fire.
The committee took no action in the